Devotionals

Today’s passage tells us that as we love Christ, we obtain the salvation of our souls. In view here is salvation as a process, namely, the gradual renewal that we experience as we are sanctified. As we love Christ, we ...Read More

Christian joy neither stoically denies the hardships of life nor pretends that we are happy when we are deeply sad. While we live in this fallen world, grief and joy exist together. We grieve because life is hard and because ...Read More

John Calvin tells us that 1 Peter begins with a description of our indestructible hope so that we may “enjoy the invaluable treasure of a future life; and also that we may not be broken down by present troubles, but ...Read More

Harsh persecution for bearing the name of Christ is a reality in much of the world. Even in the West, Christians face discrimination and slander for confessing the name of Jesus. Think through some of the past or current persecution ...Read More

Take some time today to ask yourself: “Where does my hope lie?” Does it lie in your being accepted by this world, or have you placed your hope in Christ alone and in your citizenship in His kingdom? Read through ...Read More

Take some time today to read through the book of James and meditate on his command to be a doer of the Word (1:22). Ask for God’s wisdom to help you do this, for without it, we will never be ...Read More

All of us have an important part to play in the salvation of others. While we ourselves could never save another soul, God uses us as tools to help place His Word in the hearts of His elect. As Calvin ...Read More

In 4:4, James warns us against seeking friendship with the world partly because friendship with the world produces ineffectual prayer (vv. 1–3). Instead, we must be friends of God. Elijah was such a friend of God that he was translated ...Read More

James’ confidence that prayer brings healing occurs in a context looking toward the restoration of all things at the day of judgment (5:7–9). Not until the new heavens and the new earth will our bodies be in perfect health. However, ...Read More

We are foolish if we think that we can make a lawful vow and then not pay it. God regards our oaths as sacred and will hold us accountable if we break them. Take some time today to consider the ...Read More